On August 9, Audacy launched a four-part documentary podcast series exploring the life and lasting impact of Hollywood power broker Lew Wasserman, Glitter and Might. Hosted by film historian and best-selling author Shawn Levy, the series will dissect Wasserman’s influence on both the entertainment industry and politics.
During Wasserman’s half-century in Hollywood, he played a vital role in transforming actors’ earnings, promoting the rise of television, backing blockbuster films, and turning film studios into theme parks. Furthermore, Wasserman was instrumental in ending the prominent labor strikes of 1960 and 1981.
The podcast series will also examine Wasserman’s connections between Hollywood and political power, featuring his relationships with figures such as President Ronald Reagan and Sidney Korshak. Notably, Wasserman’s influence reached every president from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton, showcasing his vast network that bridged the worlds of entertainment and politics.
Glitter and Might will include interviews with Wasserman’s associates, journalists, screenwriters, directors, authors, and former aides to President Lyndon Johnson. With nearly four years of research and interviews, Levy’s depiction of Wasserman promises to offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of the man who shaped modern entertainment.
Levy said, “Lew Wasserman is a titan of Hollywood’s past whose innovations are still with us today. If you binge a TV series at home, line up at the multiplex for a megahit, or see a connection between Hollywood and Washington, you’re in a world that Wasserman helped conceive and build. I’m delighted to partner with Audacy to bring his story to light.”
Audacy EVP of Podcasts Jenna Weiss-Berman added, “Shawn Levy does a great job portraying Hollywood history in this fascinating portrait of the larger-than-life Lew Wasserman and the world that revolved around him. Given Wasserman’s pivotal role in past entertainment industry labor strikes, Glitter and Might serves as both a biographical narrative and one that is incredibly timely and resonant in the historic moment the industry is living through today.”
